It's so over-the-top awful that it almost sounds like a parody headline, but that's the report on AZfamily.com.

Apparently a pair of unsupervised boys, six and seven years-old, stoned a kitten and then strung it up following a Grand Theft Auto session. They reportedly used the controller cable in lieu of a rope.

The incident occurred in late October in Mesa, Arizona, but details are just beginning to emerge. Here's more from the AZfamily.com coverage:

The investigation began [when] deputies went to the neighborhood of one of the two boys... and found the kitten hanging by its neck from a backyard tree. The boys had apparently used a wire from the video game controller they were playing, Grand Theft Auto, to hoist up the kitten. The animal's head had been injured by blows from a rock.

[Maricopa County Sheriff Joe] Arpaio questions why these young children were allowed to play such a violent video game.

Considering that I'm an animal lover, and especially considering that right now my girlfriend and I are taking care of a friend's cat that we are quickly becoming quite fond of, this has got to be that saddest, sickest and cruelest thing I've heard all day. :(

Now this is just terrible. Kids do these things? Personally, if the kids act like that, then I'd just have them shot. /humour. No seriously though the kids clearly need help or they will end up like the people I've had to grow up with - nasty pieces of work that eventually kill themselves or more likely others. But to be honest I don't really care anymore... The fact that they're more worried about the GTA thing:

"...used a wire from the video game controller they were playing, Grand Theft Auto, to hoist up the kitten"

Um, fun fact: Children are born sociopaths. They have to be taught remorse for killing. I know many children of that age torture animals simply becuase they have no moral compass yet. Parenting is the key, as always. 7 is a little young for GTA, but seriously, parents, WAKE THE FUCK UP.

EDIT: Since when is this mainstream newsworthy? Kids kill little things all the time, just tell the parents to punish the kids and be done with it.

It's more accurate to say that they lack "empathy." Kids under a certain age don't have the mental capacity for various levels of abstract thought. Abstract thought is how we associate things we don't know with things we do. To a child, they only know their own world. They don't connect the pain of others with pain they could feel, and thus don't really get the concept of "Do to others as you would have done to you." So yes, they need to be taught right and wrong at an early age (moral compass), even if they don't understand it.

This is part of the reason why I hate absentee parents, or fruity new-agers that want to "discuss" everything with their child and not punish. News flash, they aren't tiny adults, and you can't rationalize with them. You have to lay down the law, and punish swiftly for anything they do wrong (you don't have to beat them, but a spanking wouldn't hurt). They can learn how to "rationalize" when they're older and have brains that can handle it.

More relevant to this discussion, it does stand to reason that violent video games could have negative effects on a sufficiently young child. I'm not saying a 12 year old can't handle GTA, but 6 and 7 IS way too young! Moral compass, empathy, whatever you want to call it. Very young kids are amoral by nature, and you shouldn't expose them to high levels of violence and sex. That's one age range where mimicing really can be a problem. Not blaming the games here, blaming the people who expose those games to the wrong crowd.

I know this is off topic, but it is slightly related to the whole psychology part.

Am I the only person that thought everyone in the world may be robots, even my own parents, at some point in time? For me that lasted for at least a month of wondering if it was possible and how it would be possible to find out before I figured it didn't matter because they have taken care of my so far. (Current time travel theories say that there is a possibility that we are almost all not real, and just computer programs made to think they are real thinking beings, while only a slim few are actually real people in a simulated world.)

Actually no, sociopathy (or at least psychopathy) is a wiring differnce, not something learned. Sociopaths are physcially broken people that have something physically wrong with thier brains. They can be taught to behave, they can be medicated into being more stable, but it is not something that every kid is born with.

Most humans are born with the ability to empthize and personify things. A certain percentage are born without this ability. A smaller numbrer of those are actual pschyopaths (since it requires more then just the broken empathy). In these cases, no amount of conventional parenting will do the trick. Specialized skills and probably medication are nessesary.

Now, having said that, not sure if these kids fall into that specific catagory...

a person characterized by emotional instability, lack of social judgment, perverse and impulsive (often criminal) behavior, inability to learn from experience; amoral and asocial feelings; and other personality defects.

All children are born psychopathic. A sociopath is simply a higher degree of agressively displaying this personality.

The point remains: Parents are responsible for creating a moral adult out of this amoral blob. Now, because of the media attention, these kids will just get 'help' from counselors, instead of the swift punishment they deserve.

Personally, if my kids did this, I would take them to Animal Friends and make them volunteer there (with my direct supervision) until they realize small animals need our help, not a rock to head.

Ah yes, the ever classic 'Nature Vs. Nurture' Argument. Personally, I agree with Nurture. I always believed that the reason for most cases of sociopathy have to do with upbringing. From the cases of serial killings I have heard of, most, if not all of the killers who were caught had something wrong with how they were parented. Whether it was lack of structure, too much structure, Extremely religious parents, or extremely Anti-Religious parents, it seems the problem starts there. I personally think that it was lack of structure and discipline, possibly coupled with playing GTA at such a young age. Does that make the game bad? No. It makes the parents ignorant, wishy-washy idiots who have no idea how to regulate what their kids do, watch, or play.

There is also some evidence that chronically ignored children, those that have be deprived of love and attention over extended periods of time, can develop sociopathy. This is notable in the US' broken foster care system (and frankly, many other Western nations as well).

You're right that sociopathy is not something everyone is born with, and something that can either be genetic or brought out by prolonged tauma.

You're also right that every "normal" person develops empathy naturally, but they don't start out with it. It is something that has to be learned and developed over time. Children are "innocent" not because they are naturally good, but because they lack the understanding of the concept of evil. They are amoral. And there's nothing more cruel than a child.

^^^This is pretty much it, except that I would like to point out that there can be a basis for sociopathy from birth, but it is not something that is inborn. That is, some people can possibly be born with maldeveloped brains, due to drug use during pregnancy, genetics, or other factors such as physical trauma to the stomach while still in the womb. What can result is that the maldeveloped brain doesn't have all its gears turing correctly, or even have all its gears as would be found in the normally developed brain. However, it should be noted that this is mostly with regard for the frontal lobe since that region is most responsible for judgment and decision-making, as well as moral understanding.

But this isn't to say that just because the brain is maldeveloped that the person will grow to become a sociopath. Just simply that the potential for such development is greater than would be for others, and this is especially further augmented by experiences such as traumas and social adjustment. It is still far more likely that it's the kid who gets constantly picked on, bullied, and ostracized who'll likely develop sociopathy, due to such treatment.

I'm pretty sure that this is the fault of parents, not games. They are 6 and 7 years old. They should not be left alone in a house for that long, nor should they be playing GTA. I am not saying it was the fault of the game. If they were listening to Stephen Lynch, I would understand. But there is nothing that even remotely resembles cat-killing in any of the Grand Theft Auto games. (No pun intended) I am under the belief that: A) The parents must be MONSTROUSLY retarded, and B) These children may just be budding serial killers. I bet that in 10 years, these kids will most likely be torturing young children and pets. Get them some fucking help.

P.S. If my post sounds anything like the one above mine, I apologize, I am a slow typer, and he beat me.

Several things that don't add up in this story, but won't stop the zealots from using this to blame video gmaes.

1. They stoned a kitten and then strung it up. They didn't mimic this from GTA.

2. There is no rape in GTA (or any other game in the last 20 years, or since the ESRB was introduced). But then, why was rape even brought up in this case?

3. The kids were 6 and 7. GTA is a Mature game. Who bought the game for them, and if they managed to buy it themselves, why were the parents oblivious to them playing it? (though admittedly, research has shown that parents are more concerned with the effect of video games on "other" children, not their own. They "trust" their own little darlings.)

4. Young children are naturally more amoral than teens and adults (they lack all but the most basic levels of empathy). But even so, what kinds of parents raise kids that think it's fun to kill a kitten? I cried when I accidentally squished a frog at 6 years old.

5. If they are showing sociopathic tendencies at such a young age, shouldn't social services and a psychiatrist be called in?

I am right there with you about accidentally stepping on a frog... it has happened to me 4 times in my life, the last time I was 16, and I still felt really bad about it. One of the times I was even trying to make sure I wouldn't step on any frogs since it was around the season they were always out and closer to the house. The worst was the first time, when I was wearing socks... yeah...

Awol - That is a very true statement, Bible definitely relates to this story more than GTA any day.

Do you honestly think most six or seven year olds are going to read the Bible? No offense to anyone religious here, but that book is pretty boring especially to young kids.

Come to think of it don't kids that age dislike reading almost anything?

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Debates are like merry go rounds.
Two people take their positions then they go through the same points over and over and over again. Then when it's over they have the same positions they started in.

There are two kinds of animal abuse. There's "animal abuse", as defined by PETA which includes eating animals, having animals as pets, or interacting with them. Then there's ANIMAL ABUSE, the REAL shit that PETA doesn't do DIDDILY GODDAMN SQUAT about; like this, or the cat in the microwave kids, or anyone who ACTUALLY murders animals. PETA, you have your priorities a little skewed, no?

Hey Sheriff; I think the fact that they STONED AND HUNG A CAT is more significant than their playing of Grand Theft Auto, you asshole. If this is the way you conduct your work, I fear for the safety of the residents in your town.

These boys are sick; I hope they die and decompose into a pile of liquefied flesh.

PETA is a personalty cult and a social club, not an animal rights group.

They have done very, very little over the years to actually help animals, but they have built a nice power structure around their leadership and provide a 'we are so awesome, let's hook up!' enviroment for young recruits that want to show how animal friendly they are without actually getting dirty by helping animals.

Last couple times I heard about abuse like this were the kitten survied, it was the SPCA that stepped in with surgery and special needs adoption.. doctors and other people donating thier time and money to making a real difference in an abused animal's life... ..not PETA... never PETA.

Something else that was also mentioned in the original article was that the mother was an illegal immigrant, which means the family would probably try to stay under the radar and not utilize health even if it were provided.

Which sadly, is an example of where open health care, even for illegals, would be benifitical to the rest of us.

Kids are dumb, I still remember the days when kids attacked birds and squirrels with BB guns and/or rocks.

I'm don't think they should be institutionalized, they are dumb and probably don't know what they were doing. I used to throw rocks at my own dog for w/e the hell I was thinking when I was around that age. I think these kids should be taugt/parented that you shouldn't harm another living being; which happened to me since my dog was loyal and wouldn't bite back.

This isn't as bad as remembering what some kids did to cats by stuffing firecracker up the butt. -.-

What's silly is the claim that GTA is causing it, you can't strangle anything in GTA.

Now why are two kids under the age of 13 are left unsupervised playing GTA (assuming that this story isn't another Faux News fabrication...no shortage of those, or a fabricated addon to an actual case). Either way this is pretty sick...why would such young kids be left unsupervised? Especially with a kitten?

If I would assume anything, it would be neglectful and poor parenting. If your kids are 6 and 7...leaving them unsupervised is not cool. Letting them have free reign over TV and videogames, not good. Leaving them alone with a small animal, really not good. Sounds like the kids grew up having new real boundries... if you don't enforce some boundries as a parent, kids will try and take advantage of certain situations. Like this perhaps?

Their parents sound like they are real winners. "Your brother is 6, don't play God of War...just play GTA it will be easier for him"

Violence against small animals has nothing to do with video games. When i was young i met some kids in my neighborhood that used to laugh and brag about burying cats with their heads poking out and killing them with lawn mowers, putting cherry bombs in a frogs mouth and blowing them up or putting quarter sticks of dynamite (how the hell they got it, i don't know) and putting them in a dog's ass, lighting it and watching the dog run away and blow in half. Sick twisted kids man and they didn't play video games, they were just hoodlums. By these other examples I would say what these kids did was mild in comparison, still sick, but mild in comparison.

What the hell is a 7 year old doing playing GTA anyways? No doubt the bit about GTA thrown in there was more sensationalism on the part of the reporter to drum up outrage, especially the way its written: "The boys had apparently used a wire from the video game controller they were playing, Grand Theft Auto, to hoist up the kitten."

lol GTA is a game sure, but it sure isn't a controller and neither is it the video game system so the wording screams "i don't know what the hell i'm talking about".

meh, i think we all agree though, kids need counseling.

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The worst I have seen in person is kids taking a hammer and smashing frogs, or putting a cat into a box or crate of some sort that it couldnt get out of. Hell, even I have thrown a cat in the air to watch it land on it's feet, but not high, just enough height for them to be able to recover. They didnt run away afterward either, so I wouldn't think they hated it. Some of these stories are just nasty man.

I think that most people anymore have grown up doing stuff to frogs. Nearly everyone I know has done something like that at least once. One friend taped a frog to one of those artillery (spelling?) shells you buy around the 4th of July. I hear it was messy. I myself used bottle rockets (I wouldn't do that now of course, I was just a kid then. We've upgraded to shooting bottle rockets at one another now.) Even so, people typically have no emotional connection to things like frogs, like they would with dogs or cats, so killing frogs isn't necessarily going to mean your going to turn into a murderer. To hurt a dog or cat for the fun of it is just sick. I used to get pissed when I would hear stories from one friend who's father would shoot crossbow bolts at stray cats that tried to get into their trash.

See, I understand killing stray cats, especially with living near a city, and around my apartment there is a group of 8 cats that wonder around the area, and around work there is a group of 14+ cats that wonder around together. Half of the time they look like they are half dead because of lack of food. So killing them wouldn't be a bad thing, but make sure it is fast and as painless as possible, not torturing the things. I would take a rifle and shoot them if I had one.

1. You have a six and seven year old left unsupervised for what I gather is at least an hour. Kids don’t have much concept for time or stealth so I would guess that the capture, stoning and hanging of the cat at least took an hour if not longer.

2. These six and seven year olds are playing a game that is in everyway obviously meant for adults and mature people. Kids who are at an age where they soak up and want to imitate the people they admire where you can go on a rampage blow up countless civilians and get away from the cops and refill your ammo with a couple of phone calls.

Its rubbish like this that makes me think of the movie Demolition Man with Sylvester Stallone. A future where to have children you need to make individual deposits, have your eggs and sperm analyzed for diseases, cleaned then combined and reinserted. I am sure they also have some kind of intelligence test and background checks in order to prevent these incompetent and irresponsible people from breeding. Sure the romance would be gone, but that's what prophylactics are for. *Pops a Birth Contol Pill*

Infophile: @Matt: Apparently Dan Aykroyd actually is involved. We don't know how yet, though, but he's apparently going to be in the movie in some way.08/02/2015 - 4:17am

Mattsworkname: I still hold that not having the origonal cast invovled in any way hurts this movie, and unless the 4 actresses in the lead roles can some how measure up to the comic timing of the origonal cast, i just don't see it being a success08/02/2015 - 12:46am

Mattsworkname: Mecha: regardless of what you think of it, GB 2 was a finanical success and for it time did well with audiances ,even if it wasnt as popular as the first08/02/2015 - 12:45am

MechaTama31: I think they're better off trying to do something different, than trying to be exactly the same and having every little difference held up as a shortcoming. Uncanny valley.08/01/2015 - 11:57pm

MechaTama31: Having the original cast didn't do much for... that pink-slimed atrocity which we must never speak of.08/01/2015 - 11:56pm

Mattsworkname: Andrew: If the new ghostbusters bombs, I cant help but feel it'll be cause it removed the origonal cast and changed the formula to much08/01/2015 - 8:31pm

Andrew Eisen: Not the best look but that appears to be a PKE meter hanging from McCarthy's belt.08/01/2015 - 7:34pm

Mattsworkname: You know what game is a lot of fun? rocket league. It' s a soccer game thats actually fun to play cause your A Freaking CAR!08/01/2015 - 7:02pm

Mattsworkname: Nomad colossus did a little video about it, showing the world and what can be explored in it's current form. It's worth a look, and he uses text for commentary as not to break the immerison08/01/2015 - 5:49pm

Mattsworkname: I feel some more mobility would have made it more interesting and I feel that a larger more diverse landscape with better graphiscs would help, but as a concept, it interests me08/01/2015 - 5:48pm

Andrew Eisen: Huh. I guess I'll have to check out a Let's Play to get a sense of the game.08/01/2015 - 5:47pm

Mattsworkname: It did, I found the idea of exploring a world at it's end, exploring the abandoned city of a disappeared alien race and the planets various knooks and crannies intriqued me.08/01/2015 - 5:46pm

Andrew Eisen: Did it appeal to you? If so, what did you find appealing?08/01/2015 - 5:43pm